Summarizing a story in three parts is a great way to introduce plot structure and parts of a story to students in younger grades. In this activity, students will create a narrative storyboard that summarizes the story in three parts: the beginning, the middle, and the end. Their storyboard should include three cells. The beginning, which introduces the story and the problem; the middle, which showcases main events and the climax; and the end, which illustrates how the problem is resolved and the conclusion of the story.
To scaffold or tailor this activity, teachers may choose to add images or descriptions and have students fill in the blanks. Be sure to update the student instructions as necessary!
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a visual Beginning, Middle and End narrative storyboard that summarizes the story.
Student Instructions:
Encourage students to retell a story in their own words using the BME format. This builds understanding and confidence in identifying key plot points.
Demonstrate how to break down a simple, well-known tale (like 'The Three Little Pigs') into beginning, middle, and end. Think aloud as you identify each part, so students see the process.
Ask students to select a book they know and write one or two sentences describing each part: beginning, middle, and end. This helps them practice summarizing and organizing thoughts.
Support students as they use their BME notes to write a full summary paragraph. Remind them to use their own words and include the main events.
Share a few summaries aloud and highlight what each student did well. Provide praise and gentle feedback to build skills and confidence!
A BME summary breaks a story into three parts: the Beginning (introduction and problem), Middle (main events and climax), and End (resolution and conclusion). With 'Wonder' by R.J. Palacio, students can use BME to visually and textually summarize key plot points in each section, helping them understand story structure.
Elementary teachers can introduce plot structure by having students create a BME storyboard. Students divide the story into beginning, middle, and end, then illustrate and describe each part. This hands-on activity makes story elements concrete and supports comprehension.
To help students summarize, prompt them to identify the main characters and problem in the beginning, highlight key events and climax in the middle, and explain how the problem is resolved in the end. Using images or sentence starters can provide extra support.
Creating a narrative storyboard is effective because it engages students visually and textually, reinforces understanding of plot structure, and helps them organize their thoughts. It’s especially useful for younger learners or visual thinkers.
To scaffold a BME storyboard for grades 4-6, provide templates with prompts, allow use of images or sentence frames, and work in pairs or small groups. Adjust instructions as needed to fit student abilities and learning goals.